5 replies to this topic

[Highburymark]

I’m in Menorca with my TeleVue 85, PVS-14 and Photonis 4G tube. First three nights of the holiday were too warm and humid for observing, but last night conditions were perfect, and the little TV85 did not disappoint. I started with TV55/67mm plossl, and Chroma Ha 3nm filter. The four showpiece nebulae in Sagittarius were lovely - Lagoon M8 showing particularly deep detail despite the modest aperture. Similarly excellent views of Gamma Cygni, Crescent, Veil, North American/Pelican, and Elephant’s Trunk. Before swapping filter to 685nm IR-pass and eyepiece to 27mm Panoptic, I did a quick split of Polaris (without NV, using Baader and SVBony zooms), confirming that seeing was essentially perfect.
That boded well for my main targets of the night, globular clusters. My first glob target was one I’d somehow never seen before - M69 inside the Sag teapot. Low in the southern sky, I was floored by the detail on show - M69 showing fully resolved stars to its core. A beautiful sight. That was followed by M9, M10, M12, M30, M75 and M14, together with M11, M24, M26 and M21 OCs. M31 was starting to display dust lanes, with M110 very clear alongside. To the light polluted north, the Sunflower galaxy was only a misty patch, though M81/82 put on a good show. A quick look at Saturn and Albireo ended the evening. A memorable night, particularly as I do most of my observing from central London.

[Mauro Da Lio]

Hello, first check the light pollution map https://www.lightpol...WNpdHkiOjg1fQ==

 

You may find some Bortle 3 sky. IN these conditions try without bIR-pass and/or with IR-cut.

 

Then check the transparency https://www.meteoblu...~atmos col~none

 

AOD below 0.1 is good.

[Highburymark]

Hello, first check the light pollution map https://www.lightpol...WNpdHkiOjg1fQ==

You may find some Bortle 3 sky. IN these conditions try without bIR-pass and/or with IR-cut.

Then check the transparency https://www.meteoblu...~atmos col~none

AOD below 0.1 is good.

Good idea - I’ll try without filters tonight

[PEterW]

Ah, aerosol depth - pretty good in the UK tonight too, Sky actually looks dark! Interesting how narrow a filter you were using.

Peter

[Bearcub]

M69 is 8.3magnitude. How could tv85 do so well with it? Must be incredible viewing conditions! Or maybe night vision is indeed best with small telescopes..

[Highburymark]

M69 is 8.3magnitude. How could tv85 do so well with it? Must be incredible viewing conditions! Or maybe night vision is indeed best with small telescopes..

Only M13 and M4 looked more impressive among the twenty or so globs I’ve observed this week. One contributory factor will have been that due south from my location is the least light polluted region of the sky. But I also looked a lot of other globulars in that area. It really surprised me, I must say. A highlight of the trip.